Beet-topping apparatus



M. A. SMITH. BEET TOPPING APPARATUS. APPLICATION HLED APR- 18, I919- 1,389,708. Patentfidsept- 6,1921.

UNITED s Es PATENT OFFICE.

MABION'A. SMITH, or SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

To aZZtohom it may-concern:

Be it known that I, MARION A. SMITH, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake'and State of Utah, have invented certain new and .useful Improvements in Beet-Topping Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. I

My invention relates-to beet topping machinery and has for its object to provide a simple and efiicient attachment for beet digging plows by whichthe beets are to be tjopped while in-the ground and before they are dug.

These objects I accomplish with the apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which similar letters and numerals of reference indicate :like parts throughout the several figures and as described in the specification forming a; part of this application and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the-drawings in which I have shown a substantial embodiment of my invention Figure 1 is a view in'perspective of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a detail of the guide wheels shown in their relative positions and in contact with'a beet to be topped,:parts cut away.

The present invention-is intended to be fastened to the frame or tongue of abeet digging element and to precede the plows or shovels of such digging element. The fastening means shown are-the two coacting horizontally disposed plates 1 and 2 which are to be fastened to a tongue piece, not shown, or to some other portion of the digging inachine by the pins 3. To fasten my machine on other digging elements the vertical bars 5 and 6 may be secured directly to the digging element. The said bars 5 and 6 are duplicates except that one is constructed for use on the right side and the other on the left side of my machine, and said bars are secured in spaced apart relation to each other by the transverse bolts 7. A brace rod 8 is hooked around one of said bolts 7, and its rear end is passed through an upwardly turned portion of said plate 2, which rod is adjustable as to length in order to adjust the vertical position of the U-shaped frame and thereby the topping knife. A U-shaped or rectangular frame B is connected with said vertical bars 5 and 6 by means of horizontally disposed bars 9, 10 and 11. The said bar 9 is pivoted on one of said bolts 7, and to said frame B by a cross rod 12 passing through the end portion of said bar. The

f Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 6, 1 921.

' Application filed April 18, 1919. Serial No. 291,128.

said bars 10 and 11 are hinged to the lower portions of said frame B by the hinges C, and said bars are also connected with said vertical bars 5 and 6 with similar hinges, one portion of said hinge being pivoted to its respective vertical bar by the pivot pin 26. Each of said hinges consists of atongue member a a portion of which is pivoted within the bifurcated portion 1) by the pin 0. The said member I) is recessed to hold the end of the bar fastened therein in order to provide an economical construction for the hinges and bars 10 and 11 and one that will allow said frame B to move laterally and vertically. A weight 13 is carried on said bar 9 and. may be adjusted on said bar b the rod 14 which is of length suflicient to reach back to the driver of the digging machine. Two opposed wheel standards 15 are pivoted at their upper ends to the side reaches of said U-shaped frame B and the bearing wheels D are rotatably carried in the lower endportion of said standards. The said standards 15, are curved outwardly to allow free passage therebetween of the foliage of the beets. On each'of said standards 15 a roller bearing 16 is provided which bears against a cross bar 17 which in turn is fastened to the bottom or side reaches of said frame B. A knife shank E is secured to the under side of said frame B, which shank consists of two rearwardly curved bars 18 and 19, which curved bars are spaced apart at the lower endsto receive between them the vertical portion of the topping knife F. The said knife F is adjustably held between said curved bars by the bolts 20 and 21. The said bolt 20 is passed through the said knife F and both of said bars 18 and 19 and acts as a pivot pin by which the lower portions of said knife may be raised or lowered as desired. The bolt 21 and nut thereon is used to retain said knife in position when so adjusted. The said knife consists of the vertical portion 22 with the opposed rearwardly inclined horizontallydisposed wing portions 23. The said vertical portion 22 of said knife iscurved and inclined toward the rear and the wing portions 23 are integral therewith and at practically right angles with the vertical portion in order that the said portion 22 shall split the crown of the beet while the portions 23 will sever the crown from the body of the beet. Two opposed flat springs 24 are secured at their upper ends to the side reaches of said U-shaped frame B, and are or left of the general row.

curved outwardly and have their lower ends contact with the outer surface of said wheel standards l5to allow each of said standards 15 to yield outwardly to pass a major sized beet, and other spiral springs 25 are also pro-.

vided to support said flat springs.

The operation of my invention is as follows With the topping apparatus fastened in front of and to frame of the'digging element,' whatever form it may take, the knifeis to be adjusted so that it will split the crown of the beets about to a level with where the lowest growth of foliage leaves the body of the beets. The frame B is shifted to the right or left in order to follow the row of beets by the wheels D passing over the upper portion of the body of the individual beet depending on whether the individual beet grows in or to the right Sometimes the said wheels will pass over the body of the beets under the foliage and on other beets with the foliage lighter or frosted the said wheels will pass over said foliage but said frame B will be guided by the pressure of said wheels against the body of the beet.

In either case the said wheels, set at they are at an incline, will be guidedby the body of the beet and shift the knife carrying U-shaped frame B to the position of each individual beet in the row, and at the same time the curved bars 18 and 19 in passing over the beet will raise or lower the frame B and therewith the knife F. The. depth at which the wings 23 will top the beet depends somewhat on the position of the weight 13 on the rod 9. When the foliage is heavy and the growth rank, as it is some time before it is frosted, the operator will move said weight toward the said frame B, and when the foliage is light and the growth of the foliage more scant or when it has been frosted the weight 13-n1ay be shifted toward the front and the said knife will out less from the crown of the beets.

I thus provide a new and novel means of shifting the knife laterally to cut a vertical slit in the crown of the beets to top the beets atthe bottom of said slit which means are readily adjustable by, the operator without stopping the topping machine or digging element and novel means of adjusting the topping knife vertically.

Having thus described my invention I desire to secure by Letters Patent and claim 1. A beet topper comprising two coacting vertical bars to be attached to a beet digging element, a knife carrying frame hinged to said vertical bars to allow lateral movement as well as vertical movement of said frame; coacting guide wheels suspended from said frame; springs to allow said guide wheels to pass major sized beets; two rearwardly curved bars secured to said frame and spaced apart at their lower ends; a topping knife having a vertical slicing portion pivoted between said rearwardly curved bars and with horizontally disposed wing portions integral therewith.

2. A beet toppercomprising a U-shaped frame to be drawn in front of a digging element and hinged thereto and adapted to be shifted laterally and vertically; coacting guidewheels suspended from said frame and journaled at opposed angles and adaptedto pass beets growing in the soil to shift said frame laterally; springs on the standard of each guide wheel to allow it 'to yield outwardly to pass a major sized beet without injuring it, and a topping knife fastened to said frame and movable therewith in the rear of said guide wheels.

In testimony whereof I have afliXed my signature.

MARION A. SMITH. 

